and ...An impromptu gift from Andrew van der
Merwea calligraphy friend who takes his
breaks carving all sorts of wonderful stuff on the beaches
around Cape Town

13/09/09

Second Ramon Family Tragedy

Israel Air Force captain Asaf Ramon, who was killed on Sunday after his plane crashed in the West Bank hills, was the son of Israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon, victim of the 2003 Columbia space shuttle explosion.

May 2007

ISRAEL ~ A 20 YEAR CIRCLE

SEVEN DAYS ... 12,000 MILES ... 120 PEOPLE

The abbreviated saga of mother and daughter who travelled 12,000 miles, spent seven days together completed many circles of friendship and loveand are still speaking with each other

Ari expressed it quite clearly: We don't make friends. We grow the family.

In July of 2005, Jackson Alexander joined our family. Less than a month later, Teya Masha arrived. As we waited for them, I became aware that while there is a modicum of literature about LIFEBOOKS, even their authors seem to view the adoption process as the arrival of a first child. While I volunteered to "help" with a LIFEBOOK, I wanted to address not only "the two minute history" of these adoptions; but also the feelings and experience of the sibling(s) ~ birth and adopted ~ already here.

The first books were a psuedo-parallel pair. One stayed here with almost four-year-old Danya. The other went to Russia and (for whatever reason) became the life-preserver of 26 month-old Teya.

Now the images and the memories are clamoring to be shared and hopefully there will be more ADOPTION STORY BOOKS for families beyond our immediate circle and more happy, healthy children.

THE GATES

A leisurely stroll thru Central Park was not on our calendar; but the temptation to visit with dear friends was too great to resist. It wasn't really the GATES that drew us to Manhattan that day.It was our California friends, Barb and Jay.

Now the images and the memories are clamoring to be shared and to ultimately becomeSmallBooks.

cards that pop up, flip & slideby Michael Jacobs

A unique how-to book that teaches you not only how to make specific cards; but also gives you the tools and the desire to take the ideas far afield. Even if you have already taken classes with Michael, there are new inspirations and ideas in each of his books and on his website. And ... you can even see my work in his new book.

OUT OF THIS WORLD

a multi media show curated by Anne Binder ran at The GLANCE GALLERY in South Bend, Indiannaduring March and April 2004

This show included my new Book ProjectFOREVERA tribute to Ilan Ramon — the first Israeli astronautand The Holocaust Torah he took into space.

A tribute made of images — verbal and graphicThe solace that the world took from imagining seven astronauts and a Torah that had survived the horrors of Bergen-Belsen never returning to our world again; instead floating peaceful forever.

The Title of Work comes from Ilan Ramon's wife Rona's quote

He is part of the universe forever.

Hebrew for forever is l'olamHebrew for world is olamHebrew for heaven is olam ha'ba

An interactive accordion book created of TUFFKOTE (a layer of polyfilm with kraft paper bonded on both sides)which strongly resembles astronauts coveralls

Reaction to the book led to my creating the FOREVER READERa pleated scroll of the quotes and stories included in the artist book

and a miniature book entitled PART OF FOREVERwhich is intended to repeat and remember the story of the HOLOCAUST TORAH.

Technical questions about the Web site: ari@darius.co.ilPlease include your name in your e-mail.